Boston is getting a new gay bar

A new location for queer-centric nightlife, Dani's Queer Bar, will be coming to Boston according to LGBTQ Nightlife Events' Jan. 8 announcement.

"LGBTQ Nightlife Events really started post-pandemic," Co-Founder Thais Rocha said in an interview. "We used to have events prior to that, but they were really all over the place. Post-pandemic it really became more of a serious matter."

Since announcing Dani's Queer Bar, its Instagram account has gained nearly 4,000 followers.

Rocha shared that the bar will be located somewhere on Boylston Street in the Back Bay On Jan. 28 at LGBTQ Nightlife Events' 18+ Sapphic Nights event at the House of Blues Boston.

It was "not quite the announcement that I wanted to make, but legalities put us where we are right now," Rocha explained. She said that LGBTQ Nightlife Events is in the process of finalizing the lease details, which was anticipated to be completed by the end of February.

Dani's Queer Bar initially aimed to open by March. "We don't want to keep delaying it," Rocha said. There has not since been any information about the bar's opening date or location.

Renovations will be ongoing as the bar opens. "What we plan on doing is what we call, instead of a renovation, a beautification," Rocha explained. "We're going to make it pretty—give it a new coat of paint, clean it up, and dress it up the best we can. Hopefully, with it doing well, we can give it the proper renovations it needs and make it an even nicer place."

The amount of open gay bars in the United States has decreased significantly over the last 15 years, including the loss of Fenway's own Machine Night Club, which closed its doors as lockdowns for the COVID-19 pandemic began.

"We hope to see more [queer bars]," Rocha stated. "I don't see it as competition—it's about creating spaces for the community. We look around and we see thousands of bars for straight people—why can't we have the same thing?"

There are less than 30 open lesbian bars in the United States, according to The Lesbian Bar Project. Massachusetts recently saw the opening of another queer women's bar, Femme, in Worcester's Canal District on March 10.

LGBTQ Nightlife Events has made it their mission to open Boston's "first queer bar for women and non-binary LGBTQ+ community members who feel like [they] have no place."

"All the gay spaces we have now, they're great," said Rocha. "But you look around and all you see is gay men. Which is fine, it's fun, but it's not somewhere you can go and see a sea of people that look like you in one way or another."

In Rocha's opinion, there are not enough spaces for women and nonbinary queer people. "It's important to have these spaces because people will be able to look around and see different generations of the community. We hope we can offer that," she said.

Rocha emphasized that LGBTQ Nightlife Events intend to keep all of their events, including Sapphic Nights, Issa Vibe QTBIPOC Mixer, Pity Party, and more. "Dani's is really just about having our home bar," she said.

"The 18+ crowd," as Rocha described it, will still be catered to. "There are limitations with that in terms of what we can do with the liquor license." LGBTQ Nightlife Events will continue to work with venues such as the House of Blues and the Paradise Rock Club for 18+ events.

LGBTQ Nightlife Events are working out what security systems at a smaller venue will look like. This has become a community effort, Rocha explained. She has talked to guests and patrons about what forms of security would make them feel most comfortable. "We don't want to focus safety around cops," she said.

Those interested in learning more are encouraged to message Rocha via LGBTQ Nightlife Events' website contact form: https://lgbtqnightlifeevents.com/contact

As Bay Windows went to press, Dani's Queer Bar posted this:

We are in the final stages of opening Dani's Queer Bar and will have more updates as it becomes available.

We will no longer be hosting events at Vera's in Somerville for reasons beyond our control.

That's why events like Sapphic Nights at the House of Blues, Yacht parties, everything in between and your donations will help us cross the finish line!

In the meantime Pity Party is still on at the Union Tavern in Somerville every second Saturday .

Our goal is to be open June 1st.

We love and appreciate each and every one of you. Thank you for your continued support!